


Do My Best to Keep You Satisfied

by queenofquiet17



Category: Will & Grace
Genre: Canon Bisexual Character, Edible Body Paint, Established Relationship, F/F, Lesbian Sex, Movie Night, Not really a Halloween fic, Secret Relationship, Will & Grace Revival, but it's set during Halloween, so Halloween-ish, strap-on sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:47:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27182656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofquiet17/pseuds/queenofquiet17
Summary: “God,” her girl managed. “You look…”Karen smirked as she trailed off. “How do I look?”The way Grace’s eyes lit up with the answer was intoxicating. “Like a woman about to go forth in sin.”Karen laughed, thinking of the boys for what she hoped would be the last time tonight, watching their movie without a clue what was going on across the hall. “Oh, good,” she said, letting her voice slide down to its lowest register. “Exactly the look I was hoping for.”All Karen wanted was to celebrate her first anniversary with Grace in peace, with 9C all to themselves. But when she discovers Will and Jack's plans for the night have been cancelled and they've opted for a Cher movie night in the apartment, she quickly figures out a backup plan to get some alone time with her girl.
Relationships: Grace Adler/Karen Walker
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	Do My Best to Keep You Satisfied

**Author's Note:**

> A little while ago, [disgruntledkittenface](https://archiveofourown.org/users/disgruntledkittenface) and I had a movie night where we watched _Mermaids_ and she pointed out a line that she swore would be good in a fic. Apparently, that's all it takes for me to spiral into a 20k story. Bookworm, thank you so much for planting the seed for this. This never would have happened if you hadn't said anything; it's quite literally all your fault, and I love you for it.
> 
> This fic makes a lot of references to _Mermaids._ I made sure to write it so that you don't need to really know the movie, but if you've never seen it, you absolutely should. It's so much fun, and one of my all-time favorites.
> 
> The title comes from the song ["Baby I'm Yours"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgK4W6xUF80) (working off of the Cher cover from the movie soundtrack for obvious reasons). Some of the lyrics appear in the fic, as well as bits of dialogue from the movie. Otherwise, the words are my own.

Karen was grateful for two things in this life: that she had a girlfriend who didn’t do Halloween, and a best friend who could convince anyone on the planet that they did.

She knew first hand how persuasive Jack could be when it came to celebrating what he called the gay high holy day; just a few short weeks into their friendship, and she somehow found herself down in the Village with thigh-high boots and her boobs pushed up to her neck just so he wouldn’t have to look ridiculous on his own. Sure, it got her out of having to walk her stepkids around the Upper East Side, begging for candy in flat shoes. And sure, she wasn’t about to turn up her nose at all the attention she got in that get up. But it was the last place she ever expected to be on October 31st. And it was the last time she ever tried to resist those puppy eyes Jack flashed whenever he was determined to get his way. That damn look was always her downfall.

But luckily, it was Will’s downfall too.

Karen could not believe that Jack had actually convinced a man who firmly believed Halloween was for six-year-olds to dress up for a party in some cramped apartment in Chelsea. But the second he got Rory’s invitation, he went straight to work, breaking Will down until there was nothing else to do but say yes (she had a feeling Jack played up the fact that Estefan would be visiting family in Spain, and they wouldn’t be able to spend Halloween together; spun the right way, it would have been enough to get anyone to feel bad about leaving him alone tonight). And as much as she would love to see Wilma squirm for a few hours in whatever costume Jack picked out for him, she was grateful that 9C would be empty tonight, save for the wildfire girl who could not be moved to join the festivities. Because the wildfire girl had better things to do with her holiday.

She had an anniversary to celebrate.

Exactly one year ago tonight. Grace couldn’t stand the holiday and was working late on a massive presentation to a potential make-or-break client instead of celebrating. And Karen decided sticking around the office and making sure Grace’s head stayed above water was a better use of her time than lounging around an empty manse. She spent most of her time observing her boss, watching the way Grace stayed hunched over her sketchbook in silence, only occasionally coming up for air to crumple what Karen could only assume was a perfectly fine design into a ball and throwing it on the ever growing pile on her desk. Once Grace got to the point of flattening out and re-crumpling the same sketch about ten times in a fit of indecision, Karen knew it was time to pull her out of her mind and give her some much-needed distance from the project. So she snatched the drawing from Grace's grasp to hide it in her own desk drawer before opening the window that led to the fire escape and her stash of emergency liquor. Instantly, the raucous sounds of New Yorkers breaking free from the Village Halloween parade and spilling in and out of the nearest bars greeted them. And instead of grabbing the glass Grace had in her hand so she could pour out the vodka, Karen grabbed her by the wrist and led her out onto the fire escape so they could have a drink together in the crisp October air. Because if you couldn’t beat the drunken revelry, you had to join it.

Karen leaned against the rail as she drew a sip of her vodka, looking down below as a gaggle of Richard Simmonses roamed the street in search of a watering hole. She marveled at their enthusiasm for a moment before shifting her gaze to the quiet redhead standing next to her, and she couldn’t believe the way Grace glowed against the night even when there were a million things that seemed to be intent on dimming her shine. She almost got lost in the sight, until she remembered why she was here in the first place: to keep Grace from getting lost herself. “Feel better, honey?” she asked as she shook herself back into reality.

Grace shrugged, staring absently into the night. “Little bit,” she said. “Thanks.” They let the excited shouting from down below fill the silence for a moment. And as she started swirling her liquor around her glass, she let out a sigh and turned to her assistant. “Why are you doing this?” she asked softly.

“Doing what?”

“Staying here with me so late. You don’t even want to be here during the day.”

“Come on, Grace, that’s not true. I wouldn’t be here at all if I didn’t want to be. No matter what time it is.” Karen gently nudged Grace’s arm and gave her a small smile. “I care about you.”

Grace took a beat. “You really do, don’t you?” she said, shaking her head. “You always seem to be there for me. Even when I don’t realize how much I need you.”

It happened in pieces. The way the corners of Grace’s mouth curled like she was stuck in slow motion. The way that massive presentation didn’t seem to exist anymore. The way everything started visibly spinning in her head, and how it started spinning because of Karen. The way Karen started to feel the memories of all their line-blurring embraces and kisses cram themselves onto the fire escape, the air becoming thick with them. The way the glasses in their hands would let them blame it on the alcohol if they needed to. All of it clicked into place, one by one, until Grace leaned in and brushed her vodka-spiked lips against Karen’s. And Karen knew it wasn’t the alcohol that made her head spin; it was the way Grace’s kiss tasted like everything she had ever been looking for was just given to her. In that moment, she knew she would keep it all as close to her heart as she possibly could.

In that moment, they had just thrown open doors Karen swore were locked for good.

When Grace pulled away, Karen saw the satisfied look in her eyes and couldn’t help but laugh. “What was that for?” she murmured.

Grace’s grin colored her words. “I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to see what it felt like to kiss you and mean it.”

It wasn’t often that Karen was rendered speechless, but for the life of her, she didn’t know what to say to that. It was so easy, so simple, and she just wasn’t used to good things coming to her like it was nothing at all. But she knew she needed to do something, anything, to let Grace know that she felt everything that kiss was supposed to make her feel. So she took a breath and dared to trace her finger along Grace’s jawline before guiding her to her lips. She kissed deeper, lingered longer, waiting for Grace to put a stop to it, but she never did. Lord, it felt like they could kiss like that all the way through to November without a second thought. But Karen was dying to know what life was like on the other side of this moment.

When she pulled away, she saw Grace brush her fingers along her lips like she was trying to keep the sensation. And Karen had to hold onto the rail to keep her knees from buckling at the sight.

“What was  _ that _ for?” Grace teased.

“I don’t know,” Karen played along. “I guess I just wanted to see what it felt like to kiss you back and mean it.”

That was all it took. That was all it ever needed to take. Grace burrowed into Karen’s arms as they watched the commotion on the street, and just like that, they settled into this new and better life.

In the year since, they never quite got around to telling Will and Jack what they do when the boys aren’t around. If Karen was being completely honest, she never expected Grace to muster up the effort that kind of sit down required in a timely fashion. And if she was being completely honest, she still didn’t mind it. There was something thrilling about sneaking around that hadn’t completely faded yet. And keeping a dirty little secret wasn’t necessarily out of character for her. But tonight, they deserved more than sneaking around, more than staying within the walls of a dirty little secret. They deserved a night that didn’t require looking over their shoulders. They deserved a true celebration. So Karen slipped into the dress she knew was Grace’s favorite, grabbed a bottle from the wine collection she made sure she got in the divorce, slipped a couple surprises into her purse to make sure they’d have a good time, and raced out the door well past the time she should have left, thinking of all the things she could do with Grace-- _ to _ Grace--to make it up to her.

She didn’t mean to keep Grace waiting. But she was going to make damn sure the wait was worth it.

“Sorry I’m late,” she chirped once she finally walked into 9C, making sure the door was locked behind her; knowing their luck, Will would find some way to slip out of that party early to come home, and they’d need those few extra seconds to hide any incriminating evidence. “But I wanted to--” She stopped in her tracks, her smile faltering as she saw Grace on the couch by the TV, pouting and sandwiched between a pajama-clad Will and a fully costumed Jack. Grace shifted her gaze at the sound of her girl’s voice, her eyes carrying the weight of an apology for something that was beyond her control. And Karen started grasping for some sort of excuse that didn’t give their secrets away. “I wanted to make sure I missed whatever killed this party. What the hell are you two still doing here?”

“There’s no party. Rory has strep,” Jack said with the most overwhelming disappointment coating his voice. It was the kind of tone that usually made Karen try to show the slightest bit of empathy. It was the kind of tone that Karen could easily overlook if she were annoyed by something like being cheated out of a night alone with her girlfriend. But she couldn’t muster up any annoyance, and she knew that any empathy would sound hollow right now, because all of her efforts were going towards trying not to laugh at the sight of such a sadness living inside such a fabulous costume. Jack had finally gone all out this year, crafting the perfect tribute to his favorite diva. Ever since she refused to be the Sonny to his Cher for their first Halloween, she waited to see when he would finally bite the bullet and transform into her on his own. She couldn’t believe it took him so long to land on a look. But he landed on a great one, recreating Cher’s namesake costume from his favorite movie,  _ Mermaids. _

Karen had offered to foot the bill for anything he needed to make this ensemble perfect--a quick Internet search out of sheer curiosity let her know that the actual movie costume’s owner might be willing to consider letting it go for a cool sixteen thou--but Jack insisted on doing this on his own (he would have called it sacrilege to alter Cher’s ensemble to fit his own body, anyway). Which meant there was probably a considerable dent in Will’s credit card that would go unnoticed until he got the bill. Because this...this was elaborate. A big blonde wig of cascading ringlets. A headdress made out of strands of fake pearls and turquoise ribbons and ruffles to make it look like he had just walked out of the seaweed to surface for this party. An honest to god fishtail sewn into a turquoise skirt that shined when the glow of the TV screen hit it. Gloves adorned with the same seaweed fantasy as the headdress. And a crème-colored bustier she would have had half a mind to borrow if it wasn’t for the pink fabric seashells Jack had sewn on the cups, topped with a matching sequined cardigan to make sure he sparkled every chance he got. Put it all together with his perfectly painted face, and she had to hand it to him: this was impressive. It was the kind of costume that couldn’t even contain the confidence you got from wearing it. That deserved to swim through a sea of guys and turn their heads. That deserved far more than getting wrinkled from sitting in front of the TV all night.

Too bad he looked like he wasn’t going to budge anytime soon.

“Yeah. Jack can’t be a mermaid tonight, so he’s making us watch  _ Mermaids.” _ Will sighed like it was an inconvenience, even though Karen would bet her entire fortune that he was secretly thrilled they could act on an unexpected plan B.

“Well, he’s certainly dressed for it,” Karen said. She worked to tear her eyes away from her admittedly stunning best friend before landing on Will and his disappointing lack of costume. “And what about you, Wilma? Where’s your get-up?”

“Can’t you tell? I’m going as someone who just narrowly missed a Halloween party full of exhaustingly drunk men.” He cracked a smile at his own (questionable) joke before waving away the fact that no one else was laughing. “Please, I tossed it the second I heard about Rory. I’m in for the night.”

Shit. Kicking him out of his own apartment was starting to look less and less like an option. But Karen wasn’t about to quit yet. Not when Grace was over there looking so helpless about the situation they found themselves in.

She didn’t want to come on too strongly. But Grace was so close to her, and they were so close to freedom. If the boys didn’t leave soon, she was going to lose it.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “The night’s still young. And Poodle, I hate to see you all dolled up for nothing. You know, Driver’s outside, I can have him drive you down to the Village. You can catch some of the parade, I’ll give you my platinum to use as your bar tab. A whole celebration, on me. Whaddya say?”

Will looked like he was about to question her sudden generosity when Jack cut him off. “Thanks, Kare, but I’m not really in the Halloween spirit anymore.” He shrugged and motioned towards the TV. “Besides, the movie started.”

Well. That was that. As soon as Cher made her entrance on the screen, Jack would be glued to it for the next hour and a half. And Karen knew there was nothing she could do about it but join the movie night and hope she could come up with something spectacular for a belated anniversary celebration tomorrow night. She hated to admit it, but in the grand scheme of things, watching a movie about a 1960s freewheeling woman and her strained relationship with her religious teenage daughter whose goal in life was to become a nun wasn’t the worst way to spend a night. But stealing a glance over at Grace, it was glaringly obvious that it was the worst way to spend  _ their _ night.

Devil.

Karen sat down on the arm of the sofa next to Jack, still wallowing in her stubbornness; if she didn’t accept defeat and sink all the way down into the cushions (hell, if she refused to even take off her coat like she was settling in), that meant there was still a chance. She watched as Cher--no, sorry, she’s Mrs. Flax now--floated around her bedroom as she searched for the perfect date outfit and nearly laughed at how similar their evenings were up until this point. Jack had made her watch this with him so many times over the years that she could practically recite the dialogue on command. She couldn’t stop her lips from moving in time as Mrs. Flax got that final opinion of her little black dress from her horrified daughter before stepping out.

_ "Okay, how do I look?” _

_ “Like a woman about to go forth in sin.” _

_ “Oh good, exactly the look I was hoping for.” _

If this world was lucky enough to have a Mrs. Flax running around in it, Karen was positive she could be friends with her based on that remark alone. But right now, she couldn’t help but feel foolish over being jealous of a fictional character. Karen never thought her date was that much of a prize, always thought Mrs. Flax could do better. But at least Mrs. Flax was going forth in sin, which was a hell of a lot more than she could say for herself right now.

Good lord, she needed a drink.

A drink...

A  _ drink. _ That was it. She couldn’t believe it took her this long to think of it.

Without warning, Karen slapped her palms against her thighs, startling everyone else while she cemented the plan in her head. “You know what?” she said a little too loudly, standing up to make her exit. “I think we need to turn this party around. I’m gonna go make a booze run.”

Will furrowed his brow without taking his eyes off the screen. “Karen, I’ve practically got a full bar in here, just take whatever you want.”

“Cripes, Wilma, I’m not talking about  _ that _ swill. I want the good stuff!” She took a beat, hoping it wouldn’t sound like she was too eager to split. “Actually, I think I still have a few bottles stowed away across the hall. Grace, why don’t you come help me?”

Grace perked up at her name, and did a double take when she realized Karen was staring right at her. “Me?”

God, Karen couldn’t believe how cute she was, with the way her eyes were colored with confusion. Maybe she was already resigned to being stuck with Will and Jack, so far deep in her own disappointment that she couldn’t see what Karen was trying to do. She could see Grace try to figure it out, the gears nearly screeching against each other in her head so loudly, she couldn’t believe Will and Jack didn’t hear it too. She nodded towards the door before she answered, hoping her voice wouldn’t give them away. “Yes you. Who else?”

The redhead’s eyes narrowed as she let out an “Oh” that told Karen she wasn’t quite there yet. But she was close. So close. And a second later, the lightbulb that went off inside her girl’s mind was so blinding, she thought they blew their cover for sure.  _ “Oh! _ Right, okay, let’s go.” Grace rushed to stand up, speeding out of the TV room to catch Karen’s hand and lead her out the door, not even caring if the boys saw. Karen gave her hand a squeeze as they inched closer to their freedom. She opened the front door, practically tasting Grace’s lips on hers, knowing she was seconds away from the contact.

And then...

“Why do you need Grace to go with you?” Jack asked halfheartedly.

It was incredible how quickly the excuses could spill from her lips. Every relationship before Grace thrived off of them, but in the year she loved the redhead, they had been gathering dust on the highest shelf of her mind. She thought she’d be a bit rusty. But you can never completely forget your old tricks. “Well god, honey, I only have two hands. And by the looks of things, we’re gonna need all the reinforcements we can get. So come on, Red, hop to it.” She gave a little tap to Grace’s backside, tried to hide the smile that started to creep across her lips when she heard Grace’s delighted little giggle over the contact. She practically pushed her girlfriend towards the door. And they were gone before Will and Jack could question any of it.

“Good  _ lord,” _ Grace sighed the second they were safely in the hallway, her laughter starting to die down. Karen couldn’t tell you when her own little arsenal of quips started to become her girlfriend’s, but good lord, she loved the way Grace could hold a “Good lord” on her tongue. “I could kill Rory for getting sick on our anniversary.”

“Yeah, well, we’re not completely out of luck,” Karen said, fishing around in her purse until she found her keys. “If those kids are gonna invade your apartment, then we’ll just invade Jack’s. Easy squeezie.”

“So you were serious about going over there? I know we weren’t going to do gifts, but didn’t you at least bring wine for tonight?”

“Oh, Gracie, of course I brought wine for tonight.” Karen reached out to her girl, drawing her finger along Grace’s jawline and letting her touch linger. “Come on, you know me better than that. I’ve got lots of surprises in here for you,” she smirked, giving a little pat to her purse, stunned that Grace wasn’t already tipped off by how much bigger this one was compared to the ones she usually carried.

Instantly, Grace perked up like Karen knew she would. “Really?” she asked, eyes laser focused on Karen’s purse. “What kind of surprises?” She thought she was being quick, lunging for the purse so she could see what was inside. Karen knew. But she was quicker.

“Bup-bup-bup!” Karen twisted herself so the purse was just out of Grace’s reach. “I’m not about to let you ruin all the fun.” She pressed a kiss to Grace’s lips to distract her before she held out the keys. “Open the door for me, okay? I don’t trust you to not go in for a sneak attack while my back is turned.”

Grace narrowed her eyes like she was trying to pierce through Karen’s skin. “I should be insulted,” she muttered, and Karen could see how hard she was trying to feign seriousness. But Grace always had been the worst poker player she ever met. And she was positive she’s teased her with a lot worse over the years and never once failed to get away with it. And before she knew it, she saw the smile Grace was trying to swallow break through to the surface. “Too bad you’re right.” She took the keys from Karen’s grasp and fumbled with them until she found the one that would unlock 9A.

Karen barely had one foot in the apartment before Grace collided into her, enveloping her in a kiss that would have made her sink to her knees if she wasn’t backed up against the door. She sighed into Grace’s mouth as she felt the redhead’s arms wrap around her waist, and let her fingers weave through wildfire locks in an attempt to keep them both in this moment for as long as she possibly could. Because this was it. This was what made sneaking around and making excuses and scrambling for plan B’s completely worth it. This was what made her swear on everything she had that she would spend the rest of her life scrambling if it meant she could live in Grace’s kiss whenever she wanted to.

Fuck, she loved this woman.

“Hi,” Grace whispered as she pulled away.

Karen brought her fingers to her girlfriend’s kiss-swollen lips. “Hiya, honey.”

“So...now that we’ve gotten the pleasantries out of the way…where’s my surprise?”

She should have expected it. She should have known that as soon as she said it, Grace would hound her for the treats in her bag until she finally made the big reveal. But Karen couldn’t help letting out a laugh of disbelief. “My god, you’re impossible!” She raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, you win, I give up. Just let me take my coat off first, will ya?”

Grace let out an exaggerated sigh, made a show out of a frustration that didn’t truly exist.  _ “Fine. _ I guess I can give you that.”

Karen shook her head but couldn’t shake off her smile as she shrugged off her coat and hung it on the rack by Jack’s door. She smoothed out her dress, the cute little black Dolce & Gabbana number with the sacred heart print she only ever meant to wear once. She bought it for how little the scoop neck left to the imagination, and for the way it hugged her curves as tightly as Grace did whenever they were in the same bed; she kept it around for the way it seemed to make Grace visibly melt whenever she wore it. Karen always worked hard to make sure she never repeated an outfit, but she couldn’t help it with this one; she was a sucker for turning Grace on.

Maybe her dress wasn’t nearly as elaborate as Jack’s was. But she knew it would do the trick. And nothing could beat the way Grace’s breath hitched because of it just now. “God,” her girl managed. “You look…”

Karen smirked as she trailed off. “How do I look?”

The way Grace’s eyes lit up with the answer was intoxicating. “Like a woman about to go forth in sin.”

Karen laughed, thinking of the boys for what she hoped would be the last time tonight, watching their movie without a clue what was going on across the hall. “Oh, good,” she said, letting her voice slide down to its lowest register. “Exactly the look I was hoping for.” She reached for her purse, readying her first surprise. 

And she knew their night could finally begin.  
  


* * *

  
Will knew Jack was down about the cancelled party, but he couldn’t believe the guy was still refusing to take his costume off. Sure,  _ he _ personally never wanted to go in the first place, but that wasn’t the only reason he ditched the pirate costume Jack forced him into the first chance he got. He just thought it was pointless to try to keep up the illusion of a happy Halloween, and at the end of the day, all he wanted was to be comfortable in his own home. But no matter how hard he tried to get Jack to follow suit, that mermaid just would not budge. So he gave up, and once Grace and Karen left to get the alcohol from across the hall, he tried to give his friend something to smile about, no matter how small. He made popcorn with butter and rosemary salt. He broke open a bottle of Prosecco he honestly forgot he had. And he hoped it would give Jack something to smile about. He was in the middle of arranging all of this on a serving tray when he heard Jack start talking to the TV.

“If she wants to be near him so bad, why is she sitting in the last row of the bus?”

“Who?” Will came back to the TV room and set the tray down in front of the couch before turning his attention back to the movie.

“Cher’s daughter! If there’s a hottie driving your school bus, you have to sit in the front row. It’s that simple.”

Will couldn’t help but smile; if Jack was getting this into the movie, maybe the night could be salvaged for him after all. “Well, she wants to be a nun, right? Falling in love with the convent caretaker’s gotta be confusing. And then finding out he also drives your bus on the side? Forget about it.”

“You have to sit in the front row, Will,” Jack repeated, his tone more adamant. “I don’t make the rules.” They watched as the girl finally made her way to a closer seat to talk to the guy, Jack motioning towards the TV when she settled in. “See? Now she gets it.”

When Will was her age, there would have been no way in hell he’d be able to get a word out, being so close to someone who looks like  _ that _ (if he was being completely honest, it wasn’t the easiest task in the world as an adult, either). But there was no way he would have been able to get anything meaningful out of it except a whole lot of heartbreak that would take a lot more to get over than it did to fall in the first place.

“Okay, he’s pretty, I’ll give him that. But he’s so...simple,” he said at the same time Jack sighed “He’s so  _ deep.” _

“Deep?!” Will exclaimed, nearly a shout. “Jack, he just said he spends his days off going to the water to think.”

“I  _ know,” _ Jack sighed dreamily. “The fact that he has to set aside a whole day for all his thoughts...that is  _ such _ a turn on.”

It wasn’t like he expected Jack to say anything different. But he couldn’t help but wonder if that kind of mindset would ever lead him to say yes to the mind-numbing first date this girl just agreed to. “You have to  _ really _ like someone to actually go fishing with them,” he said. “All day.”

Jack sighed as he threw a tsk in Will’s direction. “Poor Will. You don’t have to really like them to do that. You just have to really like looking at them. I mean, come on, all that time on a boat in the middle of the water with nothing to do but stare longingly into his eyes? When his eyes look like  _ that? _ It’s heaven.”

Well. He had him there. “You know what? I’ll drink to that,” he said, clinking his glass against Jack’s. He took a sip and studied the guy on the screen for a moment, starting to see how a monotonous date like that wouldn’t be completely terrible. He did kind of like looking at him; that could last for a long time. “Besides, they probably won’t fish  _ all _ day.”

“You don’t think so?”

Will shook his head. “Of course not. It’s his day off. I’m sure they’ll take a break at some point to think.”  
  


* * *

  
If Grace learned anything from her year with Karen, it was that a celebration didn’t mean anything until there was a proper toast. Every time Grace landed a big client or nailed a presentation, it wasn’t long before Karen popped some champagne. For her birthday, Karen had a bottle of her favorite wine waiting, along with a speech so genuine and heartfelt, no one else would have believed it came from Karen if she tried to repeat it. For Karen’s birthday, she followed suit, attempting to mix a batch of martinis for the occasion; she couldn’t quite get them to taste as good as her girlfriend’s, but Karen drank them like they were the best she ever had. There were the milestones: a week, a month, half a year. There was the first “I love you” that went beyond the love of a friend. There were a million trivial moments that would have felt like Karen just making excuses to drink, if only they weren’t in constant celebration of the fact that they finally got over themselves long enough to realize what they needed had been right in front of them for twenty years.

But before all of those toasts, there was the one after their first kiss--the first  _ real _ kiss--against the Autumn chill on the office fire escape last Halloween. Grace was wrapped inside Karen’s arms, head against her chest as they let the hum of the city surround them. And just as she was being lulled by the drunken laughter mixed with steady traffic down below, Karen’s voice called her home. “You know, I always thought I was gonna be the one who kissed you first,” she murmured, her voice barely audible over someone shouting for their friend on the street.

Grace lifted her head to find Karen staring straight ahead; if she hadn’t felt the rumble of Karen’s words against her cheek, she would have been convinced she imagined it. “So why haven’t you?”

“Because I knew that the second I did, I’d want to make you mine for life. I guess I just wanted to make sure you’d be on the same page.”

In that moment, Grace felt something swell inside of her that she hadn’t known was there before. She’d been told this before, by men who never truly meant it--hell, she even married one of them...twice--but to hear it in Karen’s voice was something else entirely. Because it was a voice she loved, a voice she trusted, a voice who had known her so well for over two decades. Because it was a voice that always made her feel safe. Because it was a voice that made it okay to want to be hers for life. Because it was a voice that finally made it sound like a promise that could be kept.

“I think it’s safe to assume we’re on the same page,” she said, punctuating her declaration with a gentle kiss to Karen’s lips.

“Now  _ that’s _ something I can drink to, honey.” Karen’s eyes shined as she considered her glass of vodka and held it out in front of them. “To finally getting our act together. And to not waiting another twenty years to live life on the same page.” She clinked her glass against Grace’s, never once taking her eyes off of the redhead as she sipped from it. And when Grace looked into them, she saw the brightest path home.

They made a lot of great toasts in the last year, but that one had always been her favorite.

Until now.

“You know, I wasn’t kidding when I said I had some good stuff stashed away in this apartment,” Karen said like Grace hadn’t ever found a bottle or two of top shelf gin under the sink in the short amount of time she lived in 9A, pulling her girl back into reality as she opened up her purse. She pulled out a bottle of wine and smiled. “But I think this should tide us over for a little while.”

“Just one bottle? You’re slipping,” Grace teased as she took the bottle from her girlfriend’s hold and studied the label. “Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru,” she read out loud, wondering just how badly she butchered the name. “From 1949? Holy shit…”

“That’s right, honey! Quite a step up from the eight dollar bottles you usually come home with.”

What was wrong with the eight dollar stuff? “You don’t like the wine I pick out?” Grace pouted.

Karen reached out for her, laughing as she pulled her into her arms. “Oh Gracie, come here. What have I always told you when you’re in charge of the drinks?”

“That you’d suck the alcohol out of a deodorant stick.”

_ “Exactly. _ I’ll always take whatever you’ve got. But this is our anniversary! We needed something special.”

Well. When she put it that way…

“Yeah, you’re right,” Grace conceded as Karen made her way into the kitchen for a couple of glasses. Out of curiosity, she pulled out her phone and did a little search on the bottle she had in her hand, just to see how special this something really was. And once she found out, she nearly dropped both the wine and the phone out of pure shock. “Oh my god, Karen! We can’t drink this!”

“Whaddya talk? Of course we can! We just have to find a corkscrew.” Karen started opening drawers in Jack’s kitchen, paying no mind to the way Grace’s eyes grew in astonishment. “I know I stashed one here somewhere,” she muttered to herself.

“No, I mean it’s a $6,000 bottle!”

“It is?” Karen walked over to grab the bottle, studying it for a moment before heaving a sigh. “Ugh, devil. I was in such a rush to get here, I can’t believe I grabbed one of the cheap ones.”

Grace’s jaw dropped to the floor. “This is cheap?!”

“It is if you’re swiping it from Stan’s rare wine collection.” Karen walked back to the kitchen like she wasn’t holding a small fortune in her grip, and tried one more drawer before finally locating the corkscrew. She let out a short “Ha!” of victory before seeing how alarmed Grace still was over a measly bottle of wine. “Honey, the whole reason I fought for it in the divorce was so I could drink it. Made sure he knew it, too. Lord, he was so protective of it when we were married; I wish I had the balls to break into it while we were still together.”

“You, not doing whatever the hell you want? Impossible.”

“I don’t know, I kinda like that it worked out this way.” Karen uncorked the bottle and started to pour, their glasses filling up with a rich red that started to make Grace’s mouth water. “I mean, come on...I already have more of his money than I know what to do with. I don’t need to hold on to a bunch of old booze to stay rich. Besides...” She held out a glass for Grace to take. “I finally have someone to share it with.”

“Well, in that case,” Grace said as she took the glass, “I kinda like that it worked out this way, too.” She had to admit, she did love the fact that Karen fought for it and won. After everything Stanley Walker had put her through over the years, after all the times Karen forgave his indiscretions only for him to make them again and again, she deserved everything he had to his name. But something told Grace that the rare wine was the most enjoyable for Karen out of anything she could have gotten out of that nasty divorce. She deserved to enjoy it in exactly the way she always wanted to. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Grace got to enjoy it, too. The redhead brought the glass to her lips, ready to see just how different this wine tasted from the eight dollar stuff before Karen nudged her.

“Hey, hey, hey, whaddya think you’re doing? That’s not how things work around here!” The dark haired woman moved out of the kitchen and guided her girl to the couch. “There hasn’t been a toast yet!”

“So do the honors already,” Grace smirked as they settled into their seats. “I’m thirsty.”

Karen held up her glass and pursed her lips like she was thinking of the perfect thing to say. And when she found it, her grin lit up the room. “Oh! I got it, I got it. I’m gonna steal someone else’s words, but I don’t think they’d mind.” She took a breath, locked her gaze on her girl, and she began, her voice starting to slide into song despite her best efforts.

_ “I’m gonna stay right here, by your side  
_ _ Do my best to keep you satisfied.  
_ _ Nothing in the world could drive me away  
_ _ ‘Cause every day, you’ll hear me say  
_ _ Baby, I’m yours.” _

She brought their glasses together, smiling as they rang out in celebration. “Happy anniversary, honey. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Grace murmured, leaning in to brush her lips against Karen’s. “What was that from, anyway?”

“It’s a song in the movie,” Karen replied, motioning towards the door like she could reach all the way across the hall. “Well...in the soundtrack. It never really made it into the movie. But it felt appropriate, considering.”

“Why would you put something on the soundtrack that isn’t in the movie?”

“‘Because one Cher song is never  _ ever _ enough, Karen.’ Jack’s words.” She shook her head as Grace laughed. “Whenever he wanted to have a movie night when he stayed over at the manse, nine times out of ten, he would make me watch  _ Mermaids.” _ She sighed. “I swear, I know more about that damn thing than I do about myself.”

“So, it’s good that I kissed you on that fire escape a year ago,” Grace teased. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have had an excuse to skip out on the millionth screening tonight.”

Karen grabbed Grace’s free hand and gave it a squeeze. “You always look out for me, honey.”

It was part of the joke; Grace knew it was. Karen was never one to kill a mood that seemed to be working so well. But it was incredible how she could sound so genuine when she was joking sometimes. The way Karen took care of her over the last year was unlike anything she had known with the ones she loved before. God, even this little anniversary celebration was her doing, from the quick thinking for an alternate plan, to the wine, to whatever else was hidden inside that purse of hers. Sometimes it made Grace question whether she was giving as much as Karen was; after all, it wasn’t like she could give her girl the kind of life she had been used to for the last thirty-odd years. But then there were moments like this, where a touch of her hand and a hint of truth wrapped inside a joke made her think that maybe that was the point. She knew all about Karen’s lonely nights during her marriage to Stan. She knew about the similar distance in her other marriages that made those lonely nights seem less like a red flag and more like the standard. And she knew she never wanted Karen to ever feel that lonely again. It wasn’t difficult, felt like second nature to make sure her girlfriend knew she had a true partner in life. But in a moment like this, Karen made her feel like she was giving her the world. It was a feeling that swelled in her chest whenever she thought about it.

It was a feeling rendered her speechless long enough to draw a sip of her wine.

“Ohhhh,” she drew out, nearly a moan as the earthy notes of the wine blended with hints of cherry and peach, the taste dancing on her tongue in a way that made every single eight dollar bottle she ever presented to Karen feel like a heinous crime. It was indescribable, every other word in her vocabulary erased except for one. “Wow.”

She saw the way Karen was preening over her success and couldn’t believe how beautiful she looked in this light. “It’s incredible, isn’t it?” the dark haired woman asked.

“This is gonna be a problem,” Grace said as she went for another sip. “Because I’m pretty sure this is the only wine we should ever be drinking.”

“Such expensive tastes, Gracie...I knew I’d rub off on you eventually,” Karen winked, inviting Grace into her arms. They stayed there, taking in the warmth of each other, relaxing in the solitude of 9A, where they didn’t have to work to keep secrets they really shouldn’t have to keep in the first place. God, maybe they should just tell the guys. Wouldn’t that be the perfect anniversary present? To walk across the hall hand in hand with Karen, interrupt that little impromptu movie night and tell the truth? To finally be open about how much they love each other? Who cared if it made Will uncomfortable to think about? He’d get used to it. Jack would get used to it. Why should she have to be the one to adjust to them? She had half a mind to convince Karen to barge into 9C with her, sit them down and--

“Well, that’s one surprise down,” Karen said, interrupting her train of thought. “Want a hint about your next one?”

Oh. Well. Maybe all that truth telling could wait until she got her next present.

Grace lifted her head from Karen’s chest. “Always.”

“Do you remember when you came over the other week? And we were in bed, and you told me about that thing you wanted me to do to you?”

Grace tried to think back, rolling through the nights they spent together until she found the one Karen was talking about. Karen had been hovering over her as she caught her breath, and she had sworn she could still feel her girlfriend’s tongue between her legs even after the cries of her orgasm faded into silence. The afterglow had been heaven. But even in heaven, she had started wishing she could have a little more. To have Karen’s eyes locked on hers for as long as Grace could hold her gaze. To have both of Karen’s hands run through her hair in a moment of passion, or for Karen to pin her arms down to the mattress on either side of her, all the while still inside her. And while her filter was still gone, she had started thinking out loud:  _ “You know what would be amazing? If one of these days, you’d…” _

Oh.

But she had brushed it off the second she said it, played it like it was just a thought, that she didn’t need it, that things were perfect the way they were. Which was true, but…

_ But _ there had been that little pit stop they made the next night before dinner, the one Karen convinced her was just a happy coincidence. Which  _ might _ have been true, but…

Oh.

_ Oh. _ That was it, wasn’t it?

“You didn’t…” Grace whispered as she put the pieces together, hoping to god she got it right.

Karen arched her brow. “I did,” she said, her voice daring Grace to call her a liar.

Lucky for her, Grace had started to like acting on dares, once Karen started showing her how fun they could be. “You’re bluffing.”

Karen picked up her purse and set it down in front of Grace. “Oh yeah? Try me.”

She wasn’t sure she wanted to at first, just on the off chance that she was wrong, that whatever this surprise was, it was something she might have to brace herself for and come up with something to say that would let Karen down easy. But she should have known by now how well Karen knew her. She should have known by now how serious Karen was when it came to this sort of thing. So she reached for the purse and slowly opened it up to take a peek. And her breath hitched when she saw what was inside. It was thrilling. It was perfect.

It was one more brilliant way Karen was going to take care of her tonight.  
  


* * *

  
No matter how many times he’s seen it, Jack could never figure out how someone like Bob Hoskins worked so well as Cher’s boyfriend. And he made it known every time he roped someone into watching with him. “I mean, I get it, he’s supposed to be different, he’s not supposed to fit the leading man vibe,” he said now, once they got to the scene where they were lounging in bed after their first time together. “But come on! She was literally just making out with Dennis Quaid in  _ Suspect, _ and now they expect her to forget him and move on to the  _ Who Framed Roger Rabbit _ guy?”

Will glanced over at him like he was trying to process what his friend had just said. “Jack...you  _ do _ realize she doesn’t play herself in these movies, right?”

Silence. The kind that made it impossible to tell whether or not he put that together. Jack couldn’t help it; he liked messing with Will like that. And as he let Will try to figure out just how serious he was, he watched as these people had a spirited discussion about lying and relationship dynamics without taking so much as a second to catch their breath. He had never experienced anything like that; small talk to try to keep the mood alive, sure, but he never looked into a partner’s eyes directly after and told him he expected a slew of lies to come out of his mouth (god, besides Estefan, wasn’t that basically a given anyway?). He stole a peek at Will and could see his gears turning like they were both thinking the same thing, like he was on the verge of asking if people really acted like this. So naturally, Jack made sure he beat him to it.

“Do straight people always talk this much after sex?”

Will brushed off the question at first. But then he squirmed like he started to feel Jack’s eyes on him, turned to meet his expectant gaze, and realized he was truly looking for an answer. “Why are you asking me?”

Jack tried to sound as serious as he possibly could. “You slept with a girl once!”

The way Will’s features twisted in horror nearly made their botched Halloween completely worth it. “That doesn’t make me an expert!”

Okay, so maybe they weren’t able to go to the party like they planned. But this was fun too. Sometimes, he never quite knew what would make his best friend’s voice jump up two or three octaves; those times, the fun was in the surprise of it all. But with over thirty years of friendship under their belts, Jack knew all the old standbys he could go to whenever he needed a pick-me-up. So pairing free food and free drinks with his vocal gymnastics, all while he got to live his fabulous diva fantasy in this costume? He had to admit, it was a pretty sweet deal. Will took a fortifying breath and shifted his focus back to the movie, trying to focus on a potentially heavy conversation about age and realizing too late just how short life is--god,  _ was _ this what straight people did after sex? How depressing--when not-Dennis Quaid posed an interesting question.

_ “Time catches up, what can you do?” _

“Call Karen’s plastic surgeon,” Will said without hesitation.

Cher had a different answer.  _ “Keep moving.” _

“...And then call Karen’s plastic surgeon,” he mumbled, clearly unable to stop himself.

“Shhh! Will! You’re talking over one of the best parts!” Jack crossed his arms over the pink seashells of his bustier and huffed out a sigh. There was no timeline in existence where he would ever admit that Will was funny. It went against everything he believed in, especially when it seemed like he hit up every dad in America for his material. And  _ especially _ when one of his so-called jokes involved Karen. It was something that would normally kill the good mood he was starting to find himself in. But this time was different.

Maybe it was because of the way Will tried to make this evening nice when he knew it had been a big disappointment. Maybe it was because the free booze was getting to his head. Maybe it was because of something else entirely. But it was there, even if Jack didn’t want it to be. And he hoped to god Will didn’t look over at him now, as the smallest hint of a smile started to pull at his lips.  
  


* * *

  
“Oh,  _ fuck, _ keep moving!”

Lord, she loved when she could get Grace to scream like that. The kind of scream everyone else on the floor could hear. The kind that would almost certainly blow their cover with Jack and Will if it weren’t for the movie playing across the hall. The kind that made Grace’s head snap back and her whole body vibrate with it. The kind that could make Karen’s body vibrate, too.

She had hoped this was going to go over well; she just didn’t realize how well it was going to go.

Karen had been planning it since Grace mentioned it in bed that night a couple weeks ago. Grace had brought it up like Karen was going to shoot it down immediately, move on and never speak of it again. As if she shouldn’t think those kinds of thoughts. As if it was the most scandalous thing in the world to have desires like that. But thinking back on the first couple of years they had known each other--back to Grace not being able to let a little thing like Karen doing a fetish film in college go, or spiralling into absolute crisis that time her ex called her up out of the blue for a three-way--and thinking about how Grace had never changed in the decades she’s been around, it made sense. Maybe she didn’t have anyone safe to explore with before. Maybe she never realized it was possible to have a little fun between the sheets until now. Maybe she needed to be with someone whose stories made her seem like the kind of person who would be game for just about anything.

Well...it just so happened that Karen was that kind of someone.

The night after Grace told her what she wanted, Karen had steered them towards an adult store that was on the way to their dinner date and made it seem like an accident. They had some time to kill before they had to make their reservation, and wasn’t it funny that they just happened to come across this place, Gracie? Grace had blushed but insisted she wanted to go in when Karen asked. And when they had set foot inside, her confidence had grown with each step. The world had not ended. She had not been thrust into hellfire. In fact, the woman behind the counter had been all smiles when she welcomed them in, made them feel comfortable enough to ask questions if they needed to. So Grace had asked. And asked. And asked. And her eyes had grown brighter and brighter. And soon enough, she had turned to Karen with it in her hands, looked her straight in the eye, and told her: “This is the one.”

“Yeah? Well, come on, honey. Let’s go pay for it.”

“Yeah,” Grace had exhaled, moving towards the cash register before stopping in her tracks. “Wait, no. We’ve still got dinner. I’m not carrying this into one of your crazy fancy restaurants.”

“Oh, why not? It’s not like anyone’s gonna be able to see what’s inside the bag.”

“I  _ know _ that. But you know me. What happens if I drop it? Or if I kick it over when it’s under the table? What if it…” her voice had lowered to a whisper, “...falls out?”

Karen had highly doubted that would happen. But then again, Grace was clumsy. Adorable, but clumsy. Setting the bag down at her feet and then kicking it over in between courses hadn’t been outside the realm of possibility. And as funny as the thought might have been to Karen, she had known it would mess with the confidence that Grace had just embraced, and she couldn’t bear the thought of that. “So we’ll give it to the coat check. Problem solved.”

“Oh no. No, no, no. You just know they’re going through everyone’s stuff out of boredom. I’m not giving this to them.” Grace had looked down at it like she was considering her options, like she was hating the thought of leaving it behind. And then, “Can we come back for it later? When we’re done with dinner?”

Karen had smiled, slipping her arm around Grace’s waist. “Of course we can,” she had said, basking in the way Grace perked up at the promise. They had put it back on the shelf. They had gone to dinner. They had gone back to the store to finish what they started. But the store had closed for the night sometime during their meal. And Karen hadn’t been able to handle the way Grace’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. So she had gone back the next day and bought it, waiting for the perfect time to surprise her girl.

Lord, she couldn’t imagine what it would have been like to stick around for Will and Jack’s movie night, knowing this was in her bag the whole time.

When Grace looked inside her purse tonight, her eyes grew wide with what Karen hoped was excitement. “Really?” she asked, pulling it out, holding it in her hands like she couldn’t believe Karen even thought to go back for it. “This is for me?”

“Well... _ this _ is for you,” Karen murmured, her fingers brushing along the purple silicone dildo in Grace’s grasp.  _ “This _ is for me.” She reached into her bag and pulled out the leather strap-on harness she had stashed away, holding it with both hands, letting it settle in between her fingers. She looked over at Grace and saw her eyes were still large at the sight of the harness, as if she was only putting together now how real this could be if she let it happen. “But only if you’re still absolutely sure you want to, honey. We can always save it for later. Or never. It’s up to you.”

For a moment, Grace was silent, and Karen was convinced that she was going to back out. Well. That was okay. They could still have fun tonight. Karen still had a few tricks up her sleeve she knew Grace loved, and she knew when to use them. Tonight wouldn’t be a bust. But then, the corner of Grace’s mouth started to curl, sparking a flash of something daring across her features. 

“Oh, I still want to,” she declared before catching the dark haired woman’s lips in a kiss, leaving Karen to wonder how she could sound so deadly serious when she was practically purring in her ear. “I absolutely still want to.” With her lips pressed just below Karen’s ear, Grace let her hands slide around her shoulders to unzip her dress, fingers brushing fireworks along Karen’s spine the further down she went. Karen fought every instinct she had to just rip the thing off her body so Grace could travel her in the way she craved. Besides, the anticipation was always part of the thrill. And god, did Grace know how to play up the anticipation. Letting her kiss travel down Karen’s neck. Letting her teeth graze the skin by Karen’s collarbone. Letting her tongue travel the scoop neck of the dress, back and forth, swirling around, a kiss here and there once she reached Karen’s breasts. Karen wished Grace would pull the dress down and get her out of this bra so she could feel that tongue sweep along her nipple as the redhead took her breast into her mouth. She could feel the thrill start to build between her legs, felt how wet she was getting, and knew she was in trouble.

Cripes. This was supposed to be Grace’s surprise. She needed to be able to keep her mind long enough to make Grace lose hers.

“Honey…” she breathed, trying to keep her focus, almost losing her grip on it with every turn of Grace’s tongue. “You’re gonna finish me off before we even get started.”

Grace paused, letting her tongue linger in Karen’s cleavage for a moment before she looked up at her girlfriend. “I just wanted to thank you, that’s all,” she drew out in a glorious tease that mixed with the promise of fulfilling her girl’s desires that nearly made Karen come on the spot.

“How’s about you thank me  _ after _ we get to the fun stuff?” she asked as she ran her fingers through Grace’s hair. “We’ve got time. I promise.”

It took a beat before Grace nodded, like she truly had been set on dealing with Karen before Karen dealt with her. But in the next second, Karen pulled her in and enveloped her in a kiss, her tongue intent on sweeping away any thought of Grace’s that didn’t revolve around her own pleasure. Grace moaned into her mouth as she undid the redhead’s blouse as carefully as she could (she was not about to rip up the pink silk she gave Grace for her birthday, no matter how badly she may want to), tossing it to the coffee table the moment she freed the last button, with the redhead’s bra following soon after.

“Gracie,” she murmured. “Stand up for me.” She let her fingers walk along the fabric of her girl’s black skirt. “You’ve been in this thing for far too long.”

Grace rested her hands on Karen’s shoulders as she got up from the couch, the warmth of her touch beginning to revive the butterflies in Karen’s core. And Karen just had to return the favor. She let her hands drop to the hem of Grace’s skirt, sliding underneath the fabric and letting them ride the length of her thighs before reaching her panties. Grace let out a soft “Oh my god” as she pulled them down, and as her knees buckled slightly, Karen realized why she was still holding on to her. She stepped out of her panties and kicked off her heels as Karen unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the floor, her hands on Grace’s hips, staring up at her girl, so beautifully bare; she had to bask in the glow that was shining down on her. On an impulse, Karen weaved her fingers through the curls between Grace’s legs, tracing tiny circles against her skin before she leaned in and pressed her kiss there. She could hear Grace’s sighs and had half a mind to get down on her knees right there, let her tongue tease Grace’s clit for a while before moving her to the bed. But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Grace cupped her face in her hands and guided her to her lips, forcing Karen to stand.

“And you’ve been in  _ this _ for far too long,” Grace murmured, pushing Karen’s dress off of her shoulders and down her body, her fingers flying to the clasp of her girlfriend’s bra the second it pooled at her feet. Karen stepped out of her pumps and her dress, letting out a soft  _ “Mmm…” _ as Grace took off her bra and drew her tongue along her breasts once again. Devil, she knew Grace would do that, play with her, try again to make a game out of distracting her when she agreed to stop. But defiance was the sexiest color on her; Karen couldn’t argue with fact. Their whole relationship had been painted in it. Kissing when they shouldn’t have. Testing the boundaries of their friendship when they shouldn’t have. Sneaking around when they shouldn’t be. Lying to their family when they shouldn’t be. It wasn’t as if everything would fade to gray once they stopped bending the rules. But she’d be lying if she said it didn’t make the rainbow just the slightest bit brighter for the time being.

And here was one more thing to add to the brightness.

Karen started to feel herself give in, mustered enough strength to take off her own panties before sliding her hand to the back of Grace’s neck, willing her to stay in place so she could keep feeling her girl’s tongue drawing hearts on her skin that nearly made her see stars. She couldn’t believe she still had the presence of mind to start inching Grace away from the couch, a step, a beat, a step. It took an eternity Karen didn’t mind living in to get Grace where she wanted her. But once she did, she moved her hand from Grace’s neck to her wildfire locks, guiding her away from her breasts with a hint of reluctance. And without breaking away from her gaze, she backed Grace up against the fireplace with a smirk.

“What did I just get done telling you?” she purred. Grace’s giggle was so diabolically low in response, Karen could feel it rumble in her core.

“I couldn’t help myself,” Grace replied, playing up an innocence she did not earn. And then, in the next turn, “What are you going to do about it?”

Well. That was a loaded question, wasn’t it?

Karen let her kiss start to answer, crashing against Grace’s lips at first before making its descent down her body. She wasn’t sure what came over her in this moment, but it was impossible to stop herself; she had to go back to their toast, before Grace had any clue what she was in for, before they realized exactly what this night was going to be.  _ “I’m gonna stay right here,” _ she started to sing before taking one breast in her mouth and massaging the other.  _ “By your side.” _ She let her touch brush along Grace’s body as her kiss moved down the redhead’s torso and she dropped to her knees.  _ “Do my best to keep you satisfied.” _ This was her chance. This was her moment to do the things that crossed her mind as she was undressing her girl. So she had to take it.

Karen’s hands gripped Grace’s ass as she leaned in, her tongue circling the redhead’s clit and making her cry out in an instant. She took pride in how wet Grace already was, the taste of her making her head spin as she found her rhythm. She could feel Grace start to tremble against her, and she couldn’t help but smile against her clit. Because this was exactly what Karen wanted. To make her scream. Make her quake. Make her come before they can even get to the bed, and then make her come again on the bed. Make her...

“Kare…” Grace managed, scratching at Karen’s shoulders to get her off her knees. Once Karen stood back up, Grace’s fingers traveled along her thigh like they were already tracing the leather of her harness. “Put it on.  _ Please.” _ And as much as Karen couldn’t bear the thought of her touch leaving Grace’s skin, the thought of not giving her what she wanted was even worse, no matter how fun the tease was.

Her girl was ready. She could not believe how extraordinary it felt to know that she was ready.

Karen raced back to the couch to grab the dildo and secure it in the harness. But as soon as she felt Grace’s eyes on her, she tried to pace herself, desperate to feel the heat of her gaze as she stepped into the harness. She locked eyes with Grace from across the room, refusing to look away as she guided the harness up to her hips and pulled it tight around her. It had thrilled her before, when she tried it on the other night so she could get a feel for it; it had given her a wild shot of adrenaline, feeling the leather against her skin, the weight of the dildo moving between her legs as she walked around the room. But that was nothing compared to the way Grace was looking at her. She had seen her girl blissed out, frenetic, completely given over to desire. But the look in her eyes as Karen stood before her was absolutely feral, as if the promise of what Karen was about to do finally unlocked the cage where she stashed everything she wished for but never thought she could ask for.

In that moment, Karen swore she would give her the world the second she asked for it.

She reached in her purse for the lube she had packed and slowly started making her way to her girlfriend, hips swaying to a beat she couldn’t hear but knew with everything she had they could both feel. She couldn’t help but throw a smirk Grace’s way when she saw the way her girl ran a hand through her hair, wide-eyed as she scanned the length of Karen’s body. “Oh my god,” Grace murmured, a soft moan that grew louder with each step Karen took. “That is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh yeah?” Karen drew out. She stayed in place but continued to sway, watching the way Grace’s eyes followed every move. “Well, honey, if this is all I have to do to get you hot, maybe my work here is done.”

She thought Grace was too transfixed to move. But before Karen could take a breath, the redhead darted towards her, plunging her lips into Karen’s with a hunger that nearly brought the dark haired woman to her knees. Her hands wrapped around Karen’s ass, guiding her towards the alcove that passed for Jack’s bedroom. “Karen...if you don’t have me on that bed in about five seconds, I’m going to go out of my goddamn mind.”

_ “Lord…” _ Karen trailed off, basking in the electricity of Grace’s touch for a moment as they inched closer to the bed. “Betcha I can make you go out of your mind once I get you on that bed, too. So let’s try it your way.” Her eyes lit up with her countdown as they got closer to the bed.

“Five…” A gentle push in the right direction.

“Four…” Her girl’s hands around her waist in an attempt to steady herself.

“Three…” The back of Grace’s knees hitting the mattress.

“Two…” Her hands framing either side of Grace’s face, their lips coming within an inch of each other.

“One.”

They tumbled to the mattress in a kiss, Grace reluctant at first to untangle herself from her girlfriend so she could shift her whole body onto the bed. Karen took the time to make sure the dildo was lubed and ready to go before coming to rest between Grace’s legs. She let her nails scratch along Grace’s thighs, reveling in the way she could make her back arch with such a simple motion. Her fingers brushed a trail to Grace’s folds, tracing them again and again before winding through her curls, her girl’s moan starting to rev to life. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” she asked. After all, there was still time for Grace to back out, to change her mind. It wouldn’t take much to get her to come if she did, Karen could see that; but she could take her time, play it up, still make it fun. As long as it made Grace happy.

Grace reached out for the dildo, sighing the second she touched it. “Positive,” she said.

And with that, she helped Karen guide it inside of her.

“Oh my  _ god, _ right there…” Grace whimpered, letting Karen know they just hit the perfect spot. Karen couldn’t get over how brilliant she looked against the mattress, her lips rounded in an “O” of surprise before spreading out into an ecstatic smile. Hovering above her, Karen started to run her fingers through her girl’s hair, holding on as she bent down to envelope her in a kiss. Without breaking away, she began to move her hips slowly, not wanting to cross a line neither of them realized was there. Grace moaned into her mouth with each motion, the sound matching the rhythm of Karen’s hips, until her gasp forced her to pull away. Karen redirected her lips to the spot on Grace’s neck she knew would send sparks throughout the redhead’s body. She teased it with her tongue, let her teeth brush against it, all the while thrilling over the way Grace kept moaning her name, over and over in the only plea she seemed able to make. But soon, she was able to find more of her voice after a few tries.

“Pin me down,” she breathed.

Did Karen hear her right? “Say that again, honey,” she murmured against Grace’s neck.

“Come  _ on…” _ The urgency in Grace’s voice nearly sent Karen over the edge. “Pin me down.” With the strength she had, she let her hands fly to Karen’s skin frantically traveling her back, her breasts, her ass with no particular path in mind, like she was trying to distract Karen to the point where there was no other option but to do as she asked. It was wicked, really. Grace knew she was making Karen melt to her touch, and she knew Karen would be disappointed if she somehow got off before her girl did; Karen was sure of this. It was a smart move, the kind that would get Karen to do exactly what she wanted. The kind that made Karen want to make her wait for it, to take her by surprise.

She let Grace scratch her nails along her spine, tried to ignore the way it went straight to her clit. She drew out Grace’s name to make her believe her plan backfired, that she was two seconds away from giving in completely. She bit down on her lip to hold back her moan when Grace started sliding her nipples between her fingers (okay, so  _ that _ moan wasn’t something she could help). But just when Grace started to massage her breasts, Karen grabbed her by the wrists, making the redhead freeze in place. And in one swift motion, the dark haired woman pinned the redhead’s arms down to the mattress, Grace’s “Oh!” of surprise ringing through the air in victory.

“You like that, Red?” Karen smirked, her eyes locked on Grace as her girl shook out as much of a nod as she could manage. She let her voice drop down low, her lips grazing Grace’s ear. “Tell me what else you like. Tell me how to satisfy you.”

Grace sighed like she was trying to will her voice to come to life. “I…” she tried, her words getting swallowed up by the way Karen was moving inside her. “I want…” Good lord, she was so close to stepping off the edge; Karen could tell by the way it was getting harder for her to string together any kind of sentence. Apparently, Grace could tell, too, settling for a single word: “Faster.”

Well. Why should Karen start denying her girl now?

Still holding on to Grace’s arms, Karen started thrusting a little quicker, just enough to ease Grace into a new rhythm. But Grace kept coming back to that one demand. “Faster...faster…” Until she finally heard it. The scream that dislodged Grace’s vocabulary. The scream that made her head snap back and her whole body vibrate.

The scream that made Karen’s body vibrate, too.

“Oh,  _ fuck, _ keep moving!”

Karen felt Grace’s legs wrap around her waist like she was desperate to keep her close, like she wasn’t going to let go before the release. Their eyes met, and Karen could truly see the sheer rapture glowing in her girl. She could tell how hard Grace was trying to hold her gaze, but she also knew she was only a couple of pumps away from losing it anyway. She wanted this view forever, but she didn’t want to mess with the rhythm that was currently giving Grace life. So she tried to commit this to memory, and a few seconds later, she hoped to god she did as she felt Grace’s body grow taut beneath her, the redhead muffling her cries into Karen’s shoulder as she rode out her orgasm.

Grace melted back into the mattress while Karen didn’t dare to move; she needed to feel her girl underneath her, Grace willing her breath to even out while she was still inside her. They didn’t say anything at first; they didn’t need to. Karen could still warm herself by the fire in Grace’s eyes, and Grace could slide her hand over Karen’s heart to feel everything her ecstasy did to her girlfriend. But eventually, the silence had to be shattered.

Karen didn’t mean to break it with a joke. But they were both too spent for either of them to have a filter.

“So, you hated it.”

Grace burst into laughter, giving Karen a playful slap on the arm. “Oh, it was bad,” she smirked. She lifted herself up to Karen’s lips and brushed them with a kiss. “So bad that I wanna do it again and again.”

Karen matched Grace’s smile. “Whenever you want. This is all yours.” And then, an overwhelming wave of truth crashed into her, and she found herself letting it slip.  _ “I’m _ all yours. Always. I hope you know that.”

Maybe she shouldn’t have shifted the tone so quickly. They had just been light and carefree a second ago; maybe she should have waited until they fully recovered to get a little sentimental. The gears started turning in her mind, But Grace smiled and let her know it was okay with a few simple words.

“I do. That’s the best treat of all.”  
  


* * *

  
“Did your mom ever pull this kind of thing for Trick or Treat?” Jack asked as they watched Cher try to hand out mini tubes of toothpaste as Halloween treats for the neighborhood kids.

Will sighed, thinking of childhood Halloweens where his dad would take his brothers and him around the neighborhood while his mother stayed home to greet the other kids, never able to figure out why her “treats” weren’t flying out of the bowl like she thought they would. “Kind of. She used to stockpile those tiny bars of soap that were shaped like animals and give them out. She couldn’t stand the thought of sticky hands picking through bowl after bowl of candy, and she didn’t want to be another house that handed out melting chocolate bars. She did it for a few years until it got back to her that the kids who actually took them kept biting into them because they thought they were candy.”

Jack tried to hold it in, pressed his lips together so tightly, like that would do any good to keep it inside. But soon enough, his giggle bubbled to the surface, loud enough to drown out the sound of the TV. “Kids are dumb.”

God, this one was too easy. Will knew exactly what kind of laugh that was. And he knew exactly what Jack was trying to hide behind it. “Yeah...how many times did  _ you _ try to eat those as a kid?”

“Ex- _ cuse _ me, Will, but that is a mistake you just make once.” Well. That was a start. But he was holding back, Will knew he was; the exaggerated offense in his voice gave it all away. So he simply stared at him, not saying a word, waiting for him to start cracking. “Okay, twice.” Getting closer...  _ “Okay, _ five times.”

There it was.

Will waited until Jack turned his attention back to the TV before letting his smile fully blossom; he let himself have that one, thinking the laughter catching his throat would be bordering on mean-spirited. So he swallowed it down and pat his friend on the knee to let him know that the tease was all in good fun. He felt him relax into the couch beside him. And he focused on the movie once again as he mumbled under his breath.

“That’s my boy.”  
  


* * *

  
“There’s my girl.”

Karen turned around to greet her at the perfect time, a vision wrapped in a bedspread as she reached out to help her girl through the window to the fire escape; it was impossible trying to keep this sheet wrapped around her body with a wine glass in each hand, doing her damndest not to spill the nectar of the gods all over Jack’s windowpane. Karen had switched on the lights Jack had strung along the rail, little jack-o’-lanterns surrounding her in a stunning orange shine that matched the afterglow Grace was basking in. The redhead almost didn’t want to move; she wanted to get as much of that view as she could.

Suddenly, Grace was no longer mad at Rory for getting sick; if their night had gone as planned, she never would have been able to see her love so illuminated.

Karen took one of the wine glasses out of Grace’s hand before holding her own out for Grace to take. “I thought you were just gonna grab the bottle,” she said as she guided her girl outside.

“I was. Until I realized something about drinking $6,000 wine straight from the bottle seemed incredibly wrong.” She burrowed into Karen’s arms the second the dark haired woman opened them, welcoming her into the warmth of the bedspread and her embrace. It was enough to keep away the October chill, enough to want to stand here and let the quiet surround them, their only witnesses the orange and black faces smiling back at them. It was enough to take her back to when she dared to make a move, when she dared to finally reach for something--for someone--she always wanted, when she was so sure of herself that consequences didn’t exist and every possible scenario led to Karen’s heart, no matter what happened to get there. Maybe it was taking Karen back to last year, too.

It would explain the way her voice spilled into the air.

“Can I ask you something, honey?”

“Sure.”

She felt Karen’s kiss nestled in her hair, almost as if she was still buying time to make sure her question was even worth asking. “Why  _ did _ you kiss me that night?” She let out the softest laugh, and then, “Not that I didn’t love your answer back then.”

“Well, that  _ was _ part of it,” Grace murmured, thinking back to how brilliant it felt to kiss her and mean it for the first time. “But...I was so sick of being stubborn, Kare. God, I was stubborn for our entire friendship.” She pulled away just enough to be able to look her girlfriend in the eye. “I felt something for you from the start, you know. This uptown socialite barged into my office for a chance she had no right to, and somehow convinced me that she was the only one for the job...what else could I do but fall? But we worked together, so I kept trying to ignore it. I kept telling myself that if I just fell for someone else, it would go away. But it never did. And by the time we were on that fire escape...I guess I was finally ready to admit to myself that you were always the one I was meant to be with.”

Karen’s smile nearly melted her. “My sweet Gracie,” she whispered, her fingers brushing against the redhead’s back. “So you’re not stubborn anymore. Does that mean we’re not friends anymore?”

Grace arched her brow. “I don’t know...do you usually give strap-ons as gifts to your friends?”

“Well, there was that one Christmas with Marlo…”

Holy shit. She thought this was just going to be an easy joke. Sure, spending two decades around Karen, she learned that anything was possible with her. But even so, there were some things she could never fully prepare for. She felt her jaw drop to the ground as she gasped. “Karen!”

The dark haired woman couldn’t contain her laughter, and let it ring out after a fleeting moment trying to maintain some form of seriousness. “Oh, come on, I’m kidding! But you know, we can be friends and be in love with each other at the same time. Hell, I was in love with you long before you ever kissed me, and that never stopped us from being friends.”

She said it like it was the most casual thing in the world. It was incredible how easy she made it sound. And Grace loved easy. “Okay, so we never stopped being friends,” she grinned. “We stopped being  _ just _ friends.” She took a sip of her wine, wondering how far she should take this, thinking that maybe she was still living in the space where consequences didn’t exist. “Can I ask  _ you _ a question now?”

“Sure, honey. Shoot.”

“Would you have done anything if I hadn’t kissed you that night?”

Karen took her time with her answer, and the silence would have been unbearable if she didn’t always seem so inevitable. “I don’t think I would have done anything that night,” she finally said, surprising Grace. “You were so stressed out, and I would have never wanted to start anything on a moment that felt like I was taking advantage of you. But I only would have lasted a couple of days before trying something. Because I never would have been able to get those things you said out of my mind if I didn’t.” She pulled Grace into her as close as she could. “I don’t think I realized how much I needed you until you said it first.”

Lord. If Grace had never landed that client last year. If she had never promised more to him than she was positive she could deliver. If she never dug herself into that hole. If Karen didn’t know her well enough to recognize the warning signs, or how to keep her from spiraling. If Karen hadn’t stayed late that night. If there hadn’t been that bottle of emergency vodka to bond over. If, if, if. Would they even be here, in this moment, if the ifs ever came true? Grace couldn’t bear to think about it.

Thank god she never had to.

“I love you,” she murmured against Karen’s skin.

“Oh, honey...I love you so much.”

Maybe this wasn’t exactly the way she pictured their first anniversary. Maybe this was their plan B. But Grace could not have asked for a more perfect night. She knew that soon enough, they’d have to get out of here, maybe go back across the hall, maybe go back to Karen’s, maybe try to find someplace quiet out there, away from the Halloween crowds. She knew that soon, they would have to pretend that nothing happened here. And she wanted to postpone soon for as long as she could. Maybe they could just stay here on this fire escape, and it would slow time down to a stop. Maybe they could barricade the front door, make sure no one else could come in. Maybe Jack would end up falling asleep on the couch, passed out in his mermaid costume right in the middle of the movie; maybe Will wouldn’t try to wake him up, would let him spend the night. Anything to stay in the moment.

But Karen was set on moving right along.

“So…” she drew out, pulling Grace back into reality. “I don’t know if you’re sick of surprises yet, but I’ve got one more. Well, actually, I don’t know if this one’s more for you or for me. But it’s there, if you want me to show you.”

Grace couldn’t help but smile. She already felt like she was given the world; how could there possibly be more? She was all set to stick around on this fire escape, feel like the only two people in the world, slow down time, all of that. But god help her, there wasn’t a fiber of her being strong enough to resist another surprise. So she took a step towards the window, pulling Karen closer to her to follow. She freed herself from the bedspread that covered them both. And just before she started to climb through the window back into the apartment, she looked over her shoulder and smirked.

“Show me.”  
  


* * *

  
Finally, they reached the moment. The big one. The one Jack built his whole Halloween persona around this year. There was Cher, getting ready for this New Year’s Eve costume party, showing off a teal glove of her ensemble to her kids before retreating back behind the bathroom door. It would have been the biggest tease if Jack didn’t transform himself into the replica version tonight. But when she finally emerged and made the big reveal, they got to truly compare the original to Jack’s effort. All in all, it really wasn’t a bad job. Sure, it would have been easier to let Karen shell out sixteen thousand bucks for the real thing, but he never would have been able to live with himself if he had cut up Cher’s costume to make it fit him; settling for a close second wasn’t the worst thing in the world. But soon, he could feel Will’s eyes on him and turned his way, watching as he moved from the screen to his friend and back again, taking in the wig, the bustier, the fishtail. And he knew this couldn’t lead anywhere good.

“What?” Jack asked, eyes narrowed, expecting the worst.

Will took a beat before he shook his head. “You nailed it,” he smiled.

Did he hear that right? “Really?”

“Really. You should be proud of yourself, Jack. You did great work.”

Jack’s eyes filled with pride as he smiled. “Thank you, Will.” He looked down at his costume, taking in the silky creme and shimmering teal, letting his finger trace the pearls wrapped around his wrist; he really  _ did _ nail it, didn’t he? He let out a contented sigh. And then he hit the arm of the couch in a declaration as he stood up. “Okay, I’m gonna change,” he said, making his way out of the TV room. “Pause it for me, will ya?”

“Wait, what?!” Will hit pause on the remote before looking at Jack like he was insane. “What happened to staying glammed up all night?”

Jack turned around to face him. “All I wanted was someone to tell me how good I look! And you did! So I’m just gonna go ahead and borrow some of your pjs. I’ll be drowning in them, but I  _ so _ don’t feel like going across the hall right now.” He was halfway to Will’s bedroom when the most brilliant lightbulb went off in his head. “Ooh! You know what you should do?” he called out. “You should do a costume party for New Year’s Eve! You know, like in the movie! That way I can get some good use out of this thing.” He turned on his heel and headed for Will’s pajamas, hoping there wasn’t a window for the man who had to practically be forced into a pirate costume tonight to argue.

He made it all the way to the bedroom door before he heard Will’s annoyed voice reach out to him.

“I’ll let Grace eat in bed before I  _ ever _ willingly host a costume party on New Year’s Eve!”

Yeah, well...he had two months to convince him otherwise. If he could twist Will’s arm about tonight (no matter that the party fell through), he could easily do it again.

He’ll be swimming into the new year in pearls and seashells. He was sure of it.  
  


* * *

  
It was an accident, Karen discovering how much it thrilled her. And Grace took pride in the fact that it was all thanks to her insisting on eating in bed.

One late night at Karen’s, they had been lying in bed when Grace had started feeling a bit snackish. She had put on a robe in case she ran into one of the staff and padded her way into the kitchen, pulled a container of strawberries out of the refrigerator, filled a bowl with whipped cream, and went back upstairs to the master bedroom where her girl was waiting for her. She had known how amusing Karen thought it was, doing this every time she slept somewhere that wasn’t her home, and how Karen never dared to object. So when she had walked back into the bedroom to find Karen shaking her head and laughing, it hadn’t surprised her in the slightest. She had climbed back into bed, set the bowl and the strawberries in between them so they could share. She had dipped her first strawberry into the whipped cream. But as she was guiding it into her mouth, some of the whipped cream had dropped onto Karen’s forearm. “Wait, don’t move,” Grace had said. “I got it.” And without thinking twice, she had bent down to lick it off her girlfriend.

She had been expecting a giggle out of her girl, maybe some kind of protest. What she hadn’t been expecting was the unmistakable moan that had spilled from Karen’s lips.

“You like that?” Grace had asked when she pulled away from Karen’s arm.

Karen had smiled and shrugged. “I  _ think _ I do...” she murmured, her voice slipping to her low register. “Why don’t you try it again so I can be sure?”

Grace had nearly been knocked off of her game by the way Karen’s voice had stirred something in her core. But she had been determined to stay focused, pull back the sheet that had been covering Karen’s bare body, put the container of strawberries on the nightstand and dipped her finger into the bowl of whipped cream before letting a dollop fall onto Karen’s nipple. She had taken one last look into Karen’s eyes, giving her a chance to back out. And when she hadn’t, Grace had taken her tongue to Karen’s nipple, cleaning up the whipped cream before taking her breast into her mouth. She had felt the way Karen arched her back and heard the way Karen cried out, and she had sworn to herself in that moment that she would always drive her girl out of her mind like that.

Now, straddling Karen’s bare body on Jack’s mattress, she was starting to see the logic behind her girlfriend’s gifts. Karen was always planning to surprise her with crazy expensive wine and the strap-on she had been desperate to try, even though they swore up and down that they wouldn’t get each other anything. But Karen was also thinking ahead, knowing that even in the joy of being showered with presents, Grace would start to feel a bit guilty that she didn’t have anything for her girl. Deep down, Grace knew all of this; it made perfect sense for the last gift to something that could drive the dark haired woman wild.

It made perfect sense that she would be holding this jar of chocolate body paint in her hands.

Grace unscrewed the top and was immediately hit with the intoxicating scent of cocoa. She tossed the lid on the nightstand and dipped her finger into the concoction, letting it drip for a moment before sliding it into her mouth. She moaned the second it hit her tongue, creamy and rich with a hint of something unexpected. She let it linger as she tried to figure it out, her eyes growing wide when she finally got it.

“Oh my god…is that lavender?”

Karen’s eyes lit up as soon as she guessed the secret ingredient. “Mmm-hmm. I told Cook to put something special in the mix when he made it.”

She didn’t mean to laugh, but she couldn’t help the way it started to bubble to the surface. “Only you would tell Cook to casually whip up some edible body paint.”

“Well, honey, I was going to do it myself, but we all know how I am in the kitchen. Remember that time I tried to make beef tenderloin?”

God, how could Grace possibly forget? That little getaway to Karen’s cabin in Vermont the first year they knew each other, Grace’s attempt at getting Will’s mind off of what would have been his anniversary with Michael. Karen had good intentions, but when she finally took her creation out of the oven, the damn thing looked like it was still alive. “I would have tried it,” she said with a smirk. “You know, if Will hadn’t thrown it out.”

It was Karen’s turn to laugh now. “Gracie, I would have killed you!”

“Hey, I didn’t say I would have swallowed it…”

She loved the way Karen looked right now, hair sprawled out on the pillow, eyes filled with anticipation. Eventually, of course, Grace would give her what she wanted. But she couldn’t help but be selfish, making her wait for it a little longer so she could keep this view. “Yeah, well, at least the chocolate isn’t lethal,” Karen said, her voice floating on the air.

“You sure about that?” Grace teased. “Maybe you should try it for yourself.” And with that, she dipped her finger back into the chocolate before she slipped it into Karen’s mouth. She sighed over the way Karen’s lips closed in around her and her tongue wrapped around her finger. Karen’s  _ “Mmm…” _ rumbled against her finger, and she hoped to god that she could control the dull pulse between her legs from growing into something she’d have to take care of. Once Karen had licked her finger clean, she pulled out, resting her hand against her girl’s chest, giving herself a moment to collect herself. But Karen was absolutely ruthless.

“So what are you waiting for, Picasso?” she murmured. “Your canvas is ready for you.”

The green light never looked so stunning.

Grace readied the jar and began to fingerpaint on Karen’s body, drawing all of the paths she wanted her tongue to take. Waves down her torso. Circles along her breasts. Little stars on her collarbone and her neck. A heart traced around her navel. She thrilled at the way Karen’s moan sounded different with each design; long and drawn out during the waves, choked off for the circles, a surprised “Oh!” for the stars, an ecstatic sigh as the heart took shape. When she was satisfied with her work, she set the jar on the nightstand and pulled away so she could get a full view, Karen looking up at her in bliss and waiting for her next move.

“What?” Karen asked after a moment.

Grace shook her head. “Beautiful,” she said. And before Karen could react, her tongue dove straight for the star on her neck, lapping it up until Karen’s skin was clean.

“Good  _ lord, _ Grace…” Karen gasped. Grace could hear her girl’s hand slap against the mattress like she needed something to hold onto as she moved from her neck to her collarbone. She couldn’t help but smile as she made slow, methodical swipes with her tongue, hearing the way Karen’s breath grew shorter and harder the further down she moved. By the time she moved on to Karen’s breasts, the sweetness of the chocolate was beginning to mix with the salt of her girl’s skin in a way that collided with her wine high and made her feel like she could soar. She grew hungrier, her tongue laving Karen’s breast and her teeth grazing Karen’s nipple with such intent that it made the dark haired woman cry out before she could even get between her legs.

“Jesus...I can’t believe how good you taste right now, Kare,” she breathed as she moved to Karen’s other breast. “Why aren’t we doing this all the time?”

“Right now, I...I...oh  _ fuck, _ honey, bite it again…” Karen whimpered like she was trying to untangle a mess of words lodged in her throat until she finally unraveled it. “Right now, I can’t seem to think of a reason.”

Once she had licked Karen’s breasts clean, Grace started her descent down her girl’s torso, following the waves she had painted, trying to pace herself well enough to drive Karen out of her mind. But she barely made it below Karen’s breasts before she felt her girl’s hand at the crown of her head, trying to push her down her body faster so that she could finally,  _ finally, _ reach Karen’s clit. She laughed against her girlfriend’s stomach, heard her moan as she did it. “Patience, babe,” she purred. “I promise I’ll get there.” As much as she got off on giving Karen what she wanted, she couldn’t help herself from riding the tease as long as she could. She finished off the waves, made her way around the heart; she went back over the spots she knew she had licked clean just to see what it would do to Karen’s moan. She could have done this forever. But then she heard it, wrapped up in the middle of Karen’s cries.

“Gracie...please...I need you.”

And she just couldn’t say no to her.

Grace moved down between Karen’s legs, putting two fingers into her mouth to wet them, making a show out of it when Karen lifted her head to see what she was doing. “Don’t worry,” she said, reaching down to tease her girl’s folds. “I’m right here.” And with that, she slid her fingers into Karen’s opening.

_ “Honey!” _ Karen’s voice filled the apartment as Grace moved inside her. She looked positively euphoric, writhing on the mattress with each turn of the redhead’s fingers. Even after a year, it was something that still took Grace by surprise. Because Karen was unflappable; she had no tells. Karen was always the one in control; she could get you to melt on command, she could have you wrapped around her little finger long before you ever realized it for yourself. It was crazy to think you could have even half the effect on her that she had on you. But when Grace got her under her touch, those walls and that facade completely crumbled, and she gave herself up to Grace’s will. She gave Grace all of the control. And it was stunning.

Even after a year, control was still a new gift. But it was always one of the best ones.

Grace wanted to see how loud Karen could get before she came. As much as she wanted to keep studying the rapture of Karen’s body, she knew she could get her to start quaking against the sheets if she just lowered herself between her legs. She kept a steady rhythm inside of her girl as she leaned in and began to trace circles along Karen’s clit with her tongue, slow at first before amping up to match the pace of her fingers. Karen panted into a scream that was muffled shortly after it escaped; Grace could picture the way the dark haired woman clasping her hand to her mouth as if she was trying to hold in a secret. But Grace wanted her to let it fly, fill the room, fill the entire ninth floor of this building; she knew Karen was close, and she knew it wouldn’t take a lot to get her to pull that hand away from her mouth and clutch the sheets.

She gave it another couple of seconds, let Karen believe that this was the extent of it. And then she moved her fingers in a come hither motion inside of her girlfriend.

“Oh my god, keep going!” Karen cried out, crystal clear as her hand flew to Grace’s head, like she was desperate to keep her there. She kept chanting it as her thighs began to tremble, the most glorious song Grace had ever heard. It gave her life, made her feel invincible, convinced her that she could keep this up for Karen all night without once falling out of step. But after a few rounds of Grace beckoning her to come here, Karen’s walls closed in around her fingers and the dark haired woman clutched Grace’s wildfire locks in her hand as her orgasm took over her body.

Grace kissed the inside of Karen’s thigh as they settled against the mattress, waiting for their breath to even out. She lingered against her skin for a moment. And then she lifted herself up to get a glimpse of Karen so beautifully spent, before sliding her fingers out of her girlfriend and into her mouth.

God. The body paint might have made Karen taste a bit sweeter. But nothing could possibly compare to the way this tasted like home.

In the quiet, Karen reached out for her girl, pulling Grace to rest on top of her. Grace laid her head against Karen’s chest, the rise and fall of her breath lulling her into a peace she had only ever known in the last year. She didn’t want to ruin this. She didn’t want to be the one who irreparably broke the silence. But the things they’ve done tonight destroyed any filter she ever thought she had. And Karen  _ did _ set the precedent earlier in the night. So she let it slip.

“See? Good things always happen when you eat in bed.”

She held her breath, hoping she didn’t just kill the mood.

It wasn’t until Karen started stroking her hair as she laughed in agreement that she could let it out.  
  


* * *

  
Silence. The kind that punctuated the heaviest of moments. The kind that sat in your chest and crushed your heart after an explosion of anger. The kind that could be felt by a fictional mother and daughter thirty years ago and a pair of best friends now without losing its strength through time. It was the longest the guys had gone without speaking--without making quips about the movie or each other--all night. But what else could you do at a time like this? When all of those cute little quirks and differences between Cher and her daughter finally come to a head? When everything is finally laid out on the table?

When the silence eventually leads to the honest heart-to-heart that both of them truly deserve?

Will and Jack were staring straight at the screen, glued to the way everything was playing out. Cher was telling her daughter everything she wanted to know about the father she never knew: how she gave him her heart and he left without warning, how he only ever saw his child once when he resurfaced for a divorce, how he was never coming back. And to the left of him, Will could hear Jack start to sniffle every few seconds to keep the tears back. He totally got it, though; of course this part would be hard for Jack. All those years of being in the dark about who his real father was...how could he not relate right now? This was the kind of heart-to-heart that he knew Jack’s mom never gave him (not when he needed it the most, anyway). If Will was being completely honest, it was getting to him, too. And if he was being completely honest, he was glad that they were staying quiet; it would give him a little more time to make sure he could keep himself composed.

But that was the thing about silence: someone always had to break it.

“God,” Jack finally said, exhaling through tears.

Will placed his hand on Jack’s knee, to let him know that he was there for him. “I know.”

There was a beat, and then, “She wears the hell out of that coat.”

Will watched Cher crying gracefully in her white swing coat with the cuffed sleeves that were to die for, thinking about how fabulous it looked when it twirled around her in anger just a few minutes ago. He couldn’t stop staring at the way her raven black hair cascaded onto her shoulders like it was landing in freshly fallen snow; it was one of the more understated ensembles of the movie, but it still managed to be a whole statement anyway. He wanted to shush Jack, tell him that this wasn’t the takeaway of the scene, and how could he possibly be thinking of fashion during such a pivotal, emotional moment? But the more he got of the look, the less he could think of anything else. So he gave up and said the only thing he could think of, the only thing that was true.

“I  _ know.” _

After all, it  _ was _ a really great coat.  


* * *

  
“God, you wear the hell out of that coat. But do you really need to bring it back with you? We’re just going across the hall.”

Karen buttoned up and turned around to find Grace staring at her from the alcove, smoothing out the sheets on Jack’s bed. It was incredible how they were able to clean up the place. They both had gotten dressed and smoothed out their hair. Karen had stashed the empty wine bottle, the half-full jar of body paint, and the strap-on back into her bag. And now Grace was making sure the window was closed and the bed was made, so that nothing would look suspicious when their friend eventually came back home. “Everything must be as it was, Gracie,” she said. “We’ve already been gone too long as it is; we don’t need to give them any kind of clue that will make them ask questions we can’t answer.”

“Yeah...you’re right.” Grace ran her hands along the bedspread one last time before standing upright. “Well, I think that’s everything. So I guess we should head back over.”

She tried to mask it, Karen could tell. But the disappointment in her voice was unmistakable. And Karen couldn’t help but be disappointed, too, now that she had one hand on the doorknob. They had something brilliant here, their own little world just far enough away from prying eyes to be completely safe; there were moments when Karen was convinced that if they never opened 9A’s door again, they could just stay here forever. She wasn’t ready to give that up. She wasn’t ready to walk back into a world where none of this existed. She just wanted one moment more.

As if Grace could hear what she was thinking, she gave it to her.

“Hey.” She took Karen’s free hand in hers, pulling the dark haired woman out of her head. She pressed her lips against Karen’s before murmuring into her ear. “Happy anniversary. Tonight was brilliant.”

Karen wrapped her arms around Grace and pulled her close, closed her eyes for a second to take in the warmth of her body. “It was, wasn’t it?” she said. It was the boost she needed, the one that made it a little more bearable to leave this apartment. The one that had her floating across the hall on the promise of more nights like this. The one that already had her planning what she could do with Grace, to Grace, tomorrow night.

Maybe going back to reality wasn’t so bad if you knew another dream was just around the corner.

Grace and Karen walked into a 9C filled with the strains of “The Shoop Shoop Song” battling to be heard over Jack’s god-awful Cher impression as he sang along, the tell-tale sign that they had reached the end credits. Devil. Karen knew they had been gone for a while, but she didn’t think they had skipped out on the whole damn movie. How exactly was she supposed to explain away the fact that they went on a liquor run for the better part of two hours? She wasn’t about to call attention to it, but decided to rely on the hope that the boys had been too wrapped up in  _ Mermaids _ to notice (it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility with Jack...if he roped Will into even half the conversations he always roped her into when he made her watch this, they were golden). So she stayed silent until the song faded and Will got up to take their empty tray of snacks to the kitchen, startling when he found the girls standing in the living room. “Oh, there you are,” he said, trying to shake off the surprise. “Good timing, you just missed the ending.”

“So how was the movie?” Karen chirped, trying a bit too hard to sound natural. But if the guys noticed, they didn’t let on.

“Perfect,” Jack called out from the couch. “As usual.”

Karen took a few steps so she could get another look at him in that stunning costume of his, only to find him reaching for the remote control and flipping through channels in one of Will’s Columbia t-shirts. “Poodle, what happened to your costume?”

Jack shrugged without taking his eyes off the TV. “I wanted to get comfortable,” he said. “But it’s totally okay; Will’s gonna do a costume party for New Year’s Eve, so I can wear it then!”

“Uh...Will’s doing what now?” Karen couldn’t help but start to smile at her girl’s voice. Of course Grace would only pipe up at the horrific thought of having to make more of an effort for that party than she usually had to. Although...it would be fun to see Grace all dressed up. It would be even more fun to see if she could get Grace to take it all off before midnight. It wouldn’t be that hard to sneak away, after all. They escaped to 9A tonight; they could easily do it again. Get her across the hall, behind that door. Open up that whole world. Maybe get a little roleplay out of whatever costume she’d land on. Maybe back her up against the fireplace again. Maybe stash some toys in her purse again. Maybe…

God, Karen. Quit letting your mind wander. You’re going to blow your cover.

“Jack, I told you, I am  _ not _ having a costume party,” Will said, popping the bubble of Karen’s fantasy. “Rory cancelled tonight’s get-together; make him do it to make up for it.”

“But you always host New Year’s!” Jack protested. “I’m not breaking tradition!”

“Well, then you’ll be the only mermaid in Manhattan. Again.”

Jack’s huff filled the apartment, and Karen just knew that it was the cue for them to start arguing. Soon enough, the guys were overlapping each other, creating a cacophony that made Karen long for the quiet of 9A. She leaned over to Grace while they were still wrapped up in each other, and murmured from the side of her mouth. “Can you imagine if we had to put up with a whole movie’s worth of this?”

Grace let her hand brush along Karen’s back, sending sparks along its entire path. “Kind of makes you wish we never left, huh?”

“Maybe we can slip out again. There’s got to be an excuse we can use.”

“Like what? We already used our best one.”

Cripes, she was right. One stroke of genius was to be expected, but two? They wouldn’t be able to pull it off. They might as well face it; they couldn’t get away this time.

“Oooh, Will! Make some more popcorn!  _ The Witches of Eastwick _ is coming on in a few minutes!”

Or maybe they could.

Suddenly, the lightbulb went off in Karen’s mind. They could volunteer to go grab some better snacks for the next movie. They could volunteer to get some late night takeout so they could have a more substantial meal. Hell, it didn’t even have to be about food; they could probably fake some design emergency over at Karen’s place that needed to be taken care of right now if they just worded it the right way (it  _ was _ in need of a bit of an overhaul, after all).

All she needed to do was pick the right excuse, and they’d be free to open up that whole world again for two more hours.

_ “More _ Cher?!” Will looked at Jack like he was going to protest for a moment before he sighed. “Well, at least that one’s a little more appropriate for Halloween,” he conceded. “Here, gimme your glass, I’ll fill you up.” He started to make his way over to the couch when he stopped in his tracks, studying Grace and Karen like he knew something was up and was trying to pinpoint what.

“You got a problem, honey?” Karen asked under his gaze.

“I thought you were going across the hall to get your emergency liquor,” he said, his voice thick with suspicion.

“We were.”

“So where is it?”

Karen scoffed. What a dumb question. Of course they brought some back here. They had to have brought some back here. She put a lot of crap in her purse; some of it had to be the gin, or the vodka, or anything she kept under Jack’s sink. But peeking into her purse, she only found the empty bottle of anniversary wine. And when she shot a glance in Grace’s direction, she saw the redhead’s eyes grow wide in panic. Well. Maybe they just screwed themselves. After all that effort to eliminate suspicion, they just handed the boys the biggest red flag they could. But Karen wasn’t worried; she had just found their new out.

She could handle this.

“Gracie!” she exclaimed, giving the redhead a nudge on the arm. “I can’t believe you let me walk out of there without the gin!”

Grace furrowed her brow, unable to speak at first. “I’m...sorry?” she finally managed, studying the way Karen stared at her until she finally looked like she was starting to get it.

Karen tried to swallow her smirk. “So make it up to me. Come on, let’s go back and get it.” She tugged at Grace’s blouse from the back, trying to guide her towards the front door before Will tried to stop them.

“Karen, just forget about it. I’ve got gin, I’ll make you whatever you want.”

But nothing was going to stop her now. “Bup-bup-bup! Wilma, I promised the good stuff, and I’m going to deliver. I won’t hear another word about it.” And before anyone could say another word, she grabbed Grace by the hand and raced out the door, forgetting to care what it looked like to Will and Jack.

Karen came to a stop in the middle of the hallway, Grace crashing into her as they laughed over their second escape. The rush was incredible, feeling the way Grace laughed into her shoulder mixed with the promise of another stay in the world they created together behind 9A’s door. It was crazy how everything still felt so strong after a year. All those relationships that had come before always seemed to fade around the edges once they got to a year, if they were even able to get to a year. Everything became predictable and dull, zapped too much energy out of both of them to even try to brighten things up. But life with Grace was something to behold. Every touch still sparked something. Every kiss still surprised her. Every time Grace said her name, it was still like she had discovered a brand new word to keep safe on her tongue. Maybe this was just what happened when everything that had been right under your nose for twenty years was finally yours. Maybe this was what happened when you still couldn’t believe your luck. 

Sometimes she wondered if one day, the surprise and the spark and the safety would start to fade the way it always used to. But every time, something told her that everything would still feel this strong when they cleared another twenty years, too. 

She tried to let her own breathless laughter die down before she spoke. “Well, this looks familiar,” she joked. She nodded towards 9A. “Should we get back in there?”

“Don’t you think it’d be a little safer at your place? Where we know we won’t get caught?”

“Honey, I don’t know if I can wait that long.” Karen slid her arms around Grace’s waist. “Come on,” she drew out. “I’ve got Jack’s key. And we have at least another two hours before they’d even think to come looking for us.” She cracked a smile over the way Grace made a show of considering the proposition before she added, “Besides...we can always high-tail it back to my place later, before they start to get suspicious.”

“Oh, we’re going back to your place regardless,” Grace said. “There’s no way I’m not spending the night with you tonight.” She started running her fingers through Karen’s hair, sending waves through her girl’s body. “But I wouldn’t mind another pit stop here. I mean...there’s still half a jar of body paint left.”

“That’s my girl.” Karen caught Grace’s lips in a kiss as she reached in her bag for Jack’s key, lingered for a bit longer after she found it. She waited until Grace finally untangled her fingers from her hair, even though she didn’t want her to. She led Grace to 9A by the small of her back and unlocked the door.

And they opened up their own private world one more time.  
  


* * *

  
“Should we tell them we know?” Jack called out as Will made another round of popcorn in the kitchen.

“Who, Grace and Karen? Nah, let’s wait.” Will readied the tray and made his way to the TV room, settling back into his seat before pouring himself a glass from the fresh bottle of wine he brought in. “We’ll fill them in later...you know, when it stops being fun watching them scramble for excuses to be alone.”

They sat in silence for a moment, watching the last few commercials of the hour before  _ The Witches of Eastwick _ began. Jack was absentmindedly fishing around in the bowl, aiming a handful of popcorn for his mouth and getting most of it on his lap. If he felt Will’s horrified gaze on him, he didn’t show it. God, he wasn’t even trying to clean up after himself. It was starting to fall in between the couch cushions, onto the rug he spent more than he cared to admit on because Grace had insisted it was the only one that could pull this part of the apartment together. An hour ago, he was popping it one at a time, because god forbid anything fell onto his immaculate costume. But what does it matter now? It’s only Will’s home; who cares if it ends up covered in butter?

Will needed to get back at him somehow. He needed something. Something that would do more than just annoy him. Something that would flat-out terrify him. It was Halloween, after all; ‘tis the season for scary tricks. He just needed to find the right thing.

And then, as soon as he wished it, he conjured up a doozy.

“You know, they were gone for the whole movie. They’re probably gonna be gone for this one, too. You might wanna deep clean your apartment whenever you go home.”

Jack’s eyes grew wide. “What? Why?” he asked, his mouth full of popcorn. “You don’t think they did anything, do you?”

Will shrugged, trying for a moment to make it look like he wasn’t enjoying this too much before realizing he didn’t really care if it showed. “I’m just saying, they told us they were going across the hall for booze. We all know exactly where Karen hides it. So you wanna tell me why it took them almost two hours to get back here the first time?”

God, the horror in his eyes was just too delicious. “Ewww! Will! Do you think they were in my bed? Oh my god, what if they weren’t  _ just _ in my bed? What if--”

“Shhh…” Will smirked and picked up the remote control. “The movie’s starting. You’re gonna talk over the best parts.”

He turned up the volume on the TV. He basked in Jack’s speechlessness for just a second more. And he let him stew in the possibilities of Grace’s and Karen’s evening together as they were greeted by the gorgeous opening aerial shot of the deceptively sleepy town of Eastwick.


End file.
